Trolley track switch



Feb. 5,' 1929.

1,701,310 A. D. SABORSKY TROLLEY TRACK swITcH Filed Nov. 14, 192'? 2 Sheets-Sheep 1 alici/wu Feb. 5.1929.

A. D. SABORSKY l TROLLEY TRACK swi'rcn Filed Nw. 14. 1927' 2 Skeets--Sheet.4 2

Fla-'4 Tfve Patented Feb. 5, 1929.

UNITED STATESv l 1,701,310 PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHURD. SABORSKY, 0F LAKEWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO CHISHOLM-MOORE HOIST CORPORATION, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEWYORX.

TROLLEY TRACK SWITCH.

Application tiled November 14, 1927. Serial No. 233,011.

This invention relates' to a. track switch for over head trolleys, such as used in industrial plants. It is quite customary to provide a track-way comprising the lower flange of an I-beam suitably suspended. When branches run oil' from such a track-way a swinging section of the I-beam is provided to connect the common line with either branch. As ordinarily constructed such swinging section is hinged at the end of the common beam with more or less of a gap between their flanges, resulting in a olt as the trolley travels across this ap. This jolt is frequently troublesome, as w en conveying delicate machinery or a liquid load. Moreover, the lateral guide wheels of a trolley are frequently caught on the projecting ends of a. track-way adjacent the hinge, resulting in difiiculty in movement and sometimes injury to the trolley.

It is the object of this invention to provide a switch'which, without expensive machining, will avoid the objections noted and lliurnish a continuous smooth track-way rf the mainline to either 'of a plurality of branches, and will also provide a continuous guide for the guide wheels.l I thus obviate either a vertical or ailateral jolt. The means by which I accomplish this result constitute the present invention. They will be hereinafter more fully described in connection with the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment. In the drawings Fig. 1 is a plan of an I- beam track way equipped with my precision switch; Fig. 2 is a. side elevation of such -a track way and switch; Figs. 3 and 4 are horizontal sections, on a larger scale in the plane indicated by the line 3-3 on Fig. 2 and show.

ing the switch point-fin different positions; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section adjacent the hinge, just above the upper flange of the I-beam, as indicated by the line 5 5 on Fig. 6; Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section in the plane indicated on the line 6-6 in Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section in t-he plane indicated by the line 7 -7 in Fig. 4. ,l

As shown in the drawings, 1() designates the main track I-beam and 11 and 12 two branch 1 track I-beams; 13 designates the switch point I-beam which may connect the track 10 with either track 11 or 12, this switch point being hinged to the end of a track 10 and adapted to register with either I-beam 11 or 12. While my invention is concerned with features. of

the lower Hanges adjacent the hinge, it will beclearer to first describe the whole support of the switch point. l,

As shown the switch point is hinged to the beam 10 by a pin 20 secured to the beam 10 by a strap 21 and engaging an opening in an overlapping strap 22 secured to the switch point 13. As shown the pin 20 has a head 24 and is thus clamped tight against the top of the I-beam 10 by the strap 21, which is bolted to the top of the I-beam by bolts 26. The strap 22 is bolted to t-he upper flange of the switch point 13 by bolts 28,.

The free end of the switch point 13 is provided with suitable means for supporting 1t in registration with either branch beam or-while traveling from one to the other. To this end I have shown a projecting plate 30 on the switch point which overhangs and rests onan arcuate lseat 32 on a transverse block 33 secured to the two branch beams. As shown the block 33 is bolted to the upper flanges of` these beams by the bolts 34 and 35. Y

A brace rod 40 is shown as connecting the main track 10 with the two branches, this rod belng mounted at one en'd inan ear 29 on the hinge strap 21 and at the other endl 1n an .ear 37 on the casting 33, suitableV nuts ap lying prolper tension to the rod. A

' n Fig. 2, I ave indicated at 50 a four wheel trolley adapted to travel on the overhead structure, this trolley having a suitable frame and four supporting wheels, of which two are shown at 51. These wheels may have flanges as is usual, but I prefer wheels withc out flanges, the trolley being guided by means of suitable guide wheels 52 on vertical pivots which engage flanges of the different I-beams, f as illustrated, for example, in Patent No. 927,994 to E. Y. Moore.

v So much of the construction as has been described is of standard form and only incident-ally is concerned with my invention,

which relates particularly to means enabling f I-beam 13 terminates some little' distance from the end of the web -beam 10, and the intermediate portion of the flange is cut away as at 73 adjacent the end of the vertical web. j i

It results from the construction described that the projecting tongues 71 on the switch point always have some portion laterally opposite the remaining portions of the flange on opposite sides of the hinge airis. ificcordingly, as the trolley travels across the junction its wheels engage the flange of the beam onto which they are about to travel before 'leaving the flange of the beam on which they have been traveling, an intermediate zoiie of the wheel tread being over the gap. r1`hus Fig. 4: indicates at 51 two of the supporting wheels which are resting partly on the central tongue or remaining' end portion oi"v the flange 60 of the -beam 10 and partlyon the straddling tongues 71 of the switch beam 13. The result is that a smooth continuous track is provided, allowing the travel. of the trolley without jolt irrespective of the switch point, and at the same time plenty of clearness is allowed to enable the ready swinging of the switch point without requiring an accurate machining operation of the flanges.

l To further insure the level passage from one flange to the other, I secure a plate 619 to the underside of the I-beam 601 (as byfr'i vets 81) which plate projects beneath and engages the uiiderface of the flange 'TO of the switch point. To prevent burrsat the ends oi the central and straddling tongues on the flan 60 or 7() from interrupting the smooth travel, I bevel oft the ends of such tongue at 65, 66 and and 76.

To prevent lateral shifting of the trolley as it travels across the junction of the switch point with the common I-beam 10, l make the plate 8O beneath the I-beam 10 the full width of the fiange 60 and continue it at this'width across the gap to a point at each edge where the plate extends beneath the tongue 71 when ths latter has swung into its extreme position away from the flange 60. From these points the edges 82 converge sufficiently so that they` are never beyond thel other member irrespective of the position of the latter. Accordingly, 'the guide rollers 52 always engage the edges orp theplate 60 when they are not in engagement with either the flange 60 or the flange .70. Thustliere is no chance for avlateral shift in passing between the common Ill-beam and the switch point.

',lt willbe seen that bythe simple provision shown, as above described, I provide aA smooth trackway enabling' the passage oi the trolley without jolt, and l accomplish this without requiring machine work of the I-beain flanges.'

These may be cut oli" roughly, and the enrh pense ofv machining concentric convex' and' i switch.

concave arcs inthe ends of the track and switch members is avoided.l My track way may be installed and supported in the usual manner and without extra expense at the The clearance between the'webs of the I-beains 10 and the switch point 13 allows ample space for the passage of the wheels of the trolley across the junction without engaging :either web. For the sake of completeness, 1 have shown asuitable lock at lthe free end of the Switchpoint. This comprises a bolt 90, slidably mounted in clips 91 on the plate 30, and pressed by a spring 92 soas to engage either of a pair of openings 98 in a flange 941 lon the bracket 33. The bolt may be withdrawn by pulling either of a pair of cords 95 which are connected to bell cranks 96 which are connected with the bolt. These cords pass downwardly through suitable wings 97 projecting laterally from the switch point. The. cords 95' provide means for withdrawing the bolt, also for drawing theswitch point toward the operator, suitable abutments'S on the bracket 33 limiting he movement. The wings may also carry stop -plates 98 closing eithertrack way 11 or 12 when the switch point- 13 is registering with the other track way.

`1. A trolley track-way,havingfal main member anda swinging member adapted to connect the same with either of a plurality 'of track-ways, characterized by the f mainv memberfand swinging member having overlapping non-contacting straight-sided tongues onv substantially the same levelfwhereby a trolley wheel may rest at the same-time on both members.

2. A suspending trolley 'track-wayi-comprising a main member and a switch member end to end and4 hinged together, one of said members having a pair of spaced projecting tongues which overlap anv .intermediate tongue on the other member irrespective of the=mutfual relation of saidmembergsaid intermediate tongue being materially narrower throughout itslength than the, width of the member carrying it, whereby `a wheel may rest simultaneously on the intermediate tongueand on one of said pairs oftongues'" 3. rEhe combinationof astationary I-beann a movable I-beam constituting a switch member, the lower-flanges of said I-beams constin tuting a trackeway yfor a trolley7 flanges of one of said beams being cut away in straightA `moreno its lower fiange substantially at the same level with the lower fiange of the I-beam first mentioned, and having the intermediate portion of its double lower fiange cut away for a materially greater width than said tongue, and its web cut away substantially co-terminus therewith, whereby the last mentioned flange continues in the form of tongues adjacent the edges which project freely into the cut away space of the first mentioned flange and lie alongside of said tongue without contacting therewith, there being means for swinging one of said beams with referenceto the other on a vertical axis.`

5. A trolley track-way comprisin structural members providing lower anges on which the trolley wheels may run, and a hinge pin connecting said members and mounted in a pair of overlapping straps connected to them respectively, theend portions of said flanges being cut away non-concentrically of the hinge pin and in a manner to provide constantly overlapping tongues.

6. The combination of a pair of I-beams adapted to register end to end, a pair of' straps secured to the upper flanges of the I-beams and overlapping each other, a hinge pin adjacent to the end of one of the I-beams and mounted in the two straps, the lower fiange of one of the I-beams adjacent its corners being cut away to form oppositely disposed shoulders having an extended neck portion therebetween, and the intermediate portions of the lower flange as well as the web of the other I-beam being cut away, whereby the latter I-beam has tongues adjacent the edges of its flanges, which tongues always straddle the neck portion of the first mentioned I-'beam, but at variable distances therefrom according to the mutual position of the I-beams.

7. The combination, with ay trolley trackway comprising two members hinged together, each having a portion' which the trolley wheels would engage cut away adjacent the ends to provide overlapping straightsided non-contacting tongues, and a plate secured to the underside o-f one of the said members an-d pro'ecting beyond the end thereof to engage the underside of the kother member. c

8. A suspending trolleytrack-way comprismg a main member and a switch member end to end and hinged together, one of said members having a pair of projecting tongues on opposite sides of an intermediate recess, the ends of said tongues being longit-udinally opposite inwardly directed shoulders on the other member which leave between said tongues an extended neck portion straddled by the tongues on the first named member irrespective of the mutual position of said members, and a plate secured to the underside of one of said members and projecting beneath the other member.

two

9. The combination of a pair of I-beams adapted to register end to end, a pair of overlapping straps secured to the upper flanges of the I-beams, a hinge pin mounted in the two straps, the lower fiange of one of the I-,beams being formed into a tongue, and the lower flange of the other I-beam being cut away intermediately, whereby the latter I-beam has tongues adjacent the edges of its flanges, which tongues always straddle the tongue of the first mentioned I-beam, and a plate secured to the lower flange of one of the I-beams and projecting beyond the end thereof and beneath the underside of the lower fiange of the other I-beam. Y

10. The combination of a pairvof trackways hinged together, said track-ways having the end portions of their wheel supporting surfaces formed to provide overlapping tongues and a plate secured to the underface of one. of the members and projecting endwise beneath the underface of the other member to which it is secured to the region occupied by the tongue ofthe other member when such tongue is in its most distant position from the uncut edge portion of the first member.

11. A'track-way comprising a pair of members hinged together and having registering wheel supporting surfaces and a plate secured to the underside of one of the members and extending beneath the other member, said plate having the edges of its projecting portions parallel with each other for a certain distance and then converging beneath the other member, whereby notwithstanding the change in the mutual position of said members said plate preserves the guiding effect of the edges of the track-ways across the gap between the track-ways without projecting laterally beyond such edges.

v12. A trolley track-way comprising two I-beams, placed end to end with their webs vertical, means carried by the upper fianges of said I-beams for hinging them together, the lower flange of one of the I-beams being cut away at the corners adjacent the end and the lower iiange and web of the other I-beam being cut away intermediately, whereby one member provides a central tongueand the other member a pair of edge tongues, which tongues overlap but are out of contactwith each other in all positions of said members, and a plate secured to the underfiange of one of the `Ibeams and projecting beneath and engaging the underface of the lower flange of the other I-beam, said plate being the full width of the beam to which it is secured where it extends across the gap between the cut away corners and the end ofthe edge tongues and having converging edges in the region adapt- 1 ed to lie beneath the other member.

13. A trolley track-way comprising two beams, placed end to end and hinged together and having wheel-supporting surfaces and a plate secured to one of the beams and projeeting beneath the other beam7 said plate being the full width of the beam to which it is secured where itextends across the gap between the wheel-supporting surface of' the beams, and having converging edges in the region adapted to lie beneath the other beam combined with a trolley having flangeless supporting wheels adapted to rest on the I-beam flanges and having guide rollers adapted to engage the edges of sneh flanges and also engage the edges of said plate at the gap between such flanges.

.14. A trolley traek-way Comprising two I-beams, placed end to end with their webs vert-ical, means carried ly the upper ianges of said -beams for hinging them together, the lower ange of one of the .ll-beams being eut away at the corners adjacent the end and the lower flange and web of the other' I-beam being out away ntermediately, whereby one member provides a central tongue and the other member a pair offedge tongues, which tongues overlap but are ont of' Contact with each other `in all positions of said members, and a plate secured to the underflange of one of the I-beams and projecting beneath and engaging the underfaee ofthe lower iange of the other I-beam, said plate being the full width of the beam to which it is se` cured where it extends aerossthe gap between the eut away `corners andthe end of edge tongnesand having converging edges in the region adapted to lie beneath the other I-beam, combined with a. trolley having flangeless supporting wheels adapted to rest on thelbeam flanges and having guide rollers adapted 'to engage the edges of such flanges and also engage the edges of said plate at the gap between such flanges.

- .ln testimony whereof, I hereunto aix my signature.

l ARTHUR D. SABORSKY.y 

